Pregame: Illinois vs Penn State, Saturday, September 16th, 11:00am CT, FOX
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Captain 14
- The Last Best Place
"If if's and buts were candy and nuts then we'd all have a happy Christmas."
- Mike Ditka
Point conceded, but it is concerning that the defense has been this porous at this point in the season. Maybe the tide will change on Saturday.
If we can limit their running game and I like our chances. But that means D line will have to set up along with LBs. I trust our secondary for the most part
The student section should do something derogatory against Fox Sports. I bet when the DIA got wind were pissed. All the planning went down the drain. Anyone know if they have come up with something different.
redwingillini11
White and Sixth
- North Aurora
Can't put money on it as we are in the state, but my prediction is:
We cover.
We cover.
mhuml32
- Cincinnati, OH
By the metrics, this will be the best offense that Illinois faces all year. We are hoping a more traditional QB + extra day of prep + first road game for Allar while help the defense recover from last week.
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I don't know why but I will say Illinois 23-20
I know PSU is going to be good, but I wouldn't use metrics at this point as they either include the game against FCS Delaware or (if they don't include Delaware) are based off one game.
End of year stats I would guess are:
Kansas
PSU
Toledo
We win 24-21. Caleb kicks a game winning fog. The orange crowd erupts. Gus Johnson’s tongue is left hanging out of his mouth.
MustangWally
- Mayfield
Forecast is for sunny skies. No fog.
I guess today is as good of a time to be a prediction day as any. In many ways I think this game will come down to 2 key aspects: 1. Will our LBs and CBs have appreciably better play recognition, positioning, gap control, technique and coverage such that we can defend the run and short-medium pass? And 2. Will we be able to shore up the right side of our O-line to actually give Luke time and protection?
For offense, if we're really optimistic, Zy gets moved back to RG and returns to the more than capable form he showed last year and one of the raw freshmen take over at RT and look not completely out of place. Of course, the issue is, this Penn State team has far far far above and away the best defensive line we've played and Toledo and Kansas both absolutely torched us. Now we can mitigate this by trying to go max protect or barge formations forcing PSU to decide whether they want to put 8 in the box to stop the run while opening up the TEs and slants, or whether they want to still cover and give our o-line opportunities to block through to the second level.
For defense, we did have players start showing signs of life. Newton looked like he was very much returning to form and if he gets even half the amount of penetration he got against Kansas, he'll have a monster game. As well, Jacas, while taking some awful angles was getting into the backfield against Kansas and Allar shouldn't be able to juke him out of his shoes. Also, our safeties have played decent, and Matt Bailey coming back should help with leadership, play recognition, and run support so long as he's healthy. So that's the good. The bad? We need Randolph and Coleman to show up and they've been very quiet. The worse? PSUs o-line is better than Kansas and they have an even more powerful and dangerous running attack, something we have been unable to stop. The ugliest? Our LBs have not only struggled with all facets of the game including fundamentals, they've shown little to know understanding of where they need to be on the field or their role.
At the end of the day you either believe that 8 days is enough time to sort out our issues or you don't. For me, even if I believe that we can patch our o-line and adjust scheming sufficiently, and believe that the magnitude of the game gets our defense to show up and ball out, I have a difficult time thinking our LBs will make such a large jump in this time period, and if they can't, we will struggle stopping the run and the short to medium pass. And that is where PSU will thrive as it plays to their strengths.
So as sad as it is, and even though I liked us for the upset 2 weeks ago, I just don't think our LBs can make the leap they need to in such a short time to effectively stop the PSU offense.
My pick:
PSU 34
ILL 13
For offense, if we're really optimistic, Zy gets moved back to RG and returns to the more than capable form he showed last year and one of the raw freshmen take over at RT and look not completely out of place. Of course, the issue is, this Penn State team has far far far above and away the best defensive line we've played and Toledo and Kansas both absolutely torched us. Now we can mitigate this by trying to go max protect or barge formations forcing PSU to decide whether they want to put 8 in the box to stop the run while opening up the TEs and slants, or whether they want to still cover and give our o-line opportunities to block through to the second level.
For defense, we did have players start showing signs of life. Newton looked like he was very much returning to form and if he gets even half the amount of penetration he got against Kansas, he'll have a monster game. As well, Jacas, while taking some awful angles was getting into the backfield against Kansas and Allar shouldn't be able to juke him out of his shoes. Also, our safeties have played decent, and Matt Bailey coming back should help with leadership, play recognition, and run support so long as he's healthy. So that's the good. The bad? We need Randolph and Coleman to show up and they've been very quiet. The worse? PSUs o-line is better than Kansas and they have an even more powerful and dangerous running attack, something we have been unable to stop. The ugliest? Our LBs have not only struggled with all facets of the game including fundamentals, they've shown little to know understanding of where they need to be on the field or their role.
At the end of the day you either believe that 8 days is enough time to sort out our issues or you don't. For me, even if I believe that we can patch our o-line and adjust scheming sufficiently, and believe that the magnitude of the game gets our defense to show up and ball out, I have a difficult time thinking our LBs will make such a large jump in this time period, and if they can't, we will struggle stopping the run and the short to medium pass. And that is where PSU will thrive as it plays to their strengths.
So as sad as it is, and even though I liked us for the upset 2 weeks ago, I just don't think our LBs can make the leap they need to in such a short time to effectively stop the PSU offense.
My pick:
PSU 34
ILL 13
I'm on a diet this fall, and as a result of having zero alcohol intake (which previously supplied my very Orange-tinted glasses) for 2 weeks there is no way for me to see a game that's even competitive. As much as I'd love to see the Beloved pull out a tight one on Saturday, I'm seeing it more like 49-9 in favor of the Pederasts . . . . 
and I'm down 12# since Sept.1 . . .
and I'm down 12# since Sept.1 . . .
Unless something completely unrealistic occurs, which is the defense doing a complete turnaround... we'll go with the Dennis Green(RIP) classic, "they were who we we thought they were."
PSU. 42
UI. 17(a score in garbage time)
Both lines are really, really bad right now. The QB and the entire defensive backfield are going to be completely under siege because of it.
PSU. 42
UI. 17(a score in garbage time)
Both lines are really, really bad right now. The QB and the entire defensive backfield are going to be completely under siege because of it.
You'll see a different OL out there this week.
This dude went silent for the entirety of the Kansas game and this is the first we get. Indy hasn’t said much either. I get a feeling there was some seeerious churning in the organization this week. I feel like this is an inflection point and everyone feels it. I’m not saying we have to beat Penn State, but if we come out uninspired and undisciplined again we’re gonna see some serious shakeup and a major failure of program momentum.
Henderson or Whitenack?
I just had a very busy weekend. I also tend to stay away from game threads lol
Think you'll see both those guys. As well as Adams at RT.
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